Triple-double the fun: 2017 NBA awards

It was the season of rest and the triple-double. It was the season of Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who missed just one game each in their pursuit of round numbers in points, rebounds and assists.

When Warriors coach Steve Kerr rested Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala in a nationally televised game on March 11 and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich rested Kawhi Leonard in the same game, Westbrook had 33 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists as the Thunder beat the Utah Jazz. The following night, Harden had 38 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Rockets beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue rested LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in a nationally televised game against the Clippers on March 18, Westbrook had 28 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists as the Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings. Harden had 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets.

When NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to team owners two days later, calling the practice of resting star players “an extremely significant issue for our league” and warning of “significant penalties” for teams that don’t abide by the league’s standing rules for providing “notice to the league, their opponent, and the media immediately upon a determination that a player will not participate in a game due to rest,” Westbrook had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, playing his fourth game in seven days in a loss to the Warriors. Harden had 39 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists in another win over the Nuggets, playing his fourth game in six days.

Last Sunday, a day famous for rest, Westbrook posted his 42nd triple-double — 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists — breaking Oscar Robertson’s single-season record. On Wednesday, in the last game of season, with his team’s No. 3 playoff seed secure, Harden posted his 22nd triple-double: 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

The league rested. Russell Westbrook and James Harden played.

Westbrook was the first player since Robertson to average a triple-double: 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists. Harden averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 11.2 assists.

Westbrook led the league in scoring. Harden led the league in assists.

Westbrook averaged 2.6 more rebounds than Harden, but he led the league in uncontested rebounds — a function of his teammates letting him grab the easiest ones, like when an opponent misses a free throw.

But Westbrook’s drive angry style and Harden’s fast and furious play informed the NBA season. They gave it life and the most debated MVP race of all time. The rest is history.

Teammate of the Year | James Harden, Rockets. 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 53.0 2-point shooting, 34.7 3-point shooting, 84.7 free throw shooting, 27.3 PER, 4.8 RPM. Age [27] After “the worst year of his life,” Harden dumped Khloe Kardashian and led the league in assists. He was also first in win shares (15.0).

Coach of the Year | Mike D’Antoni, Rockets. 55-27. A true visionary. He moved James Harden to point guard and surrounded him with 3-point shooters, producing the 10th-best offense of all time and breaking the record for 3-pointers.

If coaching is more than multiple offenses and defenses, more than substitution patterns and the juggling of personalities, if coaching is also acting as a team’s North Star, then Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr and Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy deserve special recognition for speaking truth to power in the days following the election of President Trump.

Defensive Player of the Year | Rudy Gobert, Jazz. 2.6 blocks, 6.0 Defensive RPM. Age [24] The Stifle Tower, The French Rejection and The Gobert Report was first in blocks and Defensive RPM for the No. 3 defensive team in the league.

Iguodala called the award “affirmative action” before last season, but if he wins it for the first time this season, he promises to exploit it wisely: “We’re going to pimp this for free agency. That’s what we going to do. You got to try to take the good out of things. I’m always trying to be devil’s advocate, trying to figure out what’s wrong with it and try to perfect everything that I don’t see the upside. So I think it’s kind of cool, but I won’t be crazy excited.”

Forward | LeBron James, Cavaliers. 26.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 61.1 2-point shooting, 36.3 3-point shooting, 67.4 free throw shooting, 27.0 PER, 7.3 RPM. Age [32] Reached career-highs in rebounding and assists and a career-low in free throw percentage in his 14th season. Third in triple-doubles (13). Played in the last six NBA Finals, then led the league in minutes (37.8) this season.

Guard | James Harden, Rockets. 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 53.0 2-point shooting, 34.7 3-point shooting, 84.7 free throw shooting, 27.3 PER, 4.8 RPM. Age [27] First in assists and turnovers, but Houston’s offense is high-risk, high-reward. He’s the best long-range passer in the league. First in free throws and free throw attempts for the third straight season, and he gets fouled on 3-pointers more than any other team.

SECOND TEAM

Forward | Jimmy Butler, Bulls. 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 47.7 2-point shooting, 36.7 3-point shooting, 86.5 free throw shooting, 25.1 PER, 7.1 RPM. Age [27] A brilliant two-way player who gets better every season. He is Kawhi Leonard if Kawhi Leonard played for a mediocre franchise that can’t get out of its own way.

Forward | Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks. 22.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 56.4 2-point shooting, 77.0 free throw shooting, 26.0 PER, 4.2 RPM. Age [22] Plays all five positions and a few new ones. Just the fifth player to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

Forward | Draymond Green, Warriors. 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 49.4 2-point shooting, 30.8 3-point shooting, 70.9 free throw shooting, 2.0 steals, 16.5 PER, 6.4 RPM. Age [26] Advanced metrics have helped him become lauded as a great player. Green barely averaged double figures in scoring and shot poorly, but his positives are big. He leads the second-best offense of all time in assists, and he’s the second-best defensive player in the league, guarding all five positions.

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